


Is it Love?

by DoggyTwoShoes



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Ben isn’t the best boyfriend, But also Seriously stubborn, Carlos and Jay are like brothers in this, Endgame Evie/Mal (Disney), Evie is too sweet for the isle, F/F, F/M, Fluff is mainly at the end with Angst through the rest, Mainly Malvie with Bal at the beginning, Mal is Carlos’ protective big sister while Jay is the protective big brother, Maybe even more than Mal, The Core Four are like family, angst and fluff with a happy ending, break up story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 22:37:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoggyTwoShoes/pseuds/DoggyTwoShoes
Summary: And alternate approach to the VKs attempts to bring Mal home from the Isle.OrThe one where Ben says the wrong thing to Mal when trying to bring her back and now Evie has to do damage control and bring her friend back from the brink.





	Is it Love?

“But Mal, please come back, I love you!” Prince/King Ben says to his girlfriend, Mal, trying to bring her back from the hell-hole known as the Isle of the Lost.

“Yeah right.” Mal says under her breath with a bitter laugh, drawing Ben’s attention.

“What, Mal, I do love you!” Ben says, sounding a little fired up as Mal laughs.

“Right, you know Ben, I might not know what love really is from the Isle, but I sure as hell learned what it isn’t.” Mal says, turning away from her painting to look at Ben, “Love isn’t trying to change somebody because they need to make you look good as king or prince or whatever the hell you even are. That blonde who gets all dolled up in fancy clothes and dresses isn’t me. The kind caring girl who goes out of her way to make everything perfect isn’t me. Sure I do care about people, but my ideal date isn’t a banquet with foods that I can’t even pronounce let alone make or like, it’s sitting around eating strawberries or something that is to Auradon simple and plain but that is to Isle Kids like me exotic and dream like. And you know what, I’m not a pretty pretty princess who suddenly cares about dresses and hair and the press and a kingdom’s attention, this purple and pink hair is me, and a leather jacket is me, ripped jeans or leather pants is me. And sure you’re sweet and kind and genuinely trying your best and I appreciate that Ben, I really do, but I don’t think you really love me.” Mal says, sounding confident but still sad.

“Mal, listen to me, of course I love you, I never realized things were that bad for you, I really though you were adjusting.” Ben says, taking Mal’s hands in his own before she pulls them away.

“But I’m not Ben! And despite how much you try to understand or emphasize, you don’t get me! I think you love the idea of me, what you were raised on, fairytales. ‘Cold-hard villain rescued from dirty island prison by prince, doesn’t even know the meaning of love, and suddenly they have a whirlwind romance where she learns to listen to her heart and falls in love with him, they live happily ever after.’” Mal says, faking happiness before sighing and dropping the facade, “Honestly Ben, I’m trying to listen to my heart and what it’s telling me is that this was just a dream, you and me. If this were another world, one without the Isle or maybe where your parents actually thought of the kids there when we were young, maybe we would have worked out. but we don’t Ben. I still care about you, and I really think you deserve someone great, but it’s not me. I’m not that person. You’re a great guy Ben, but I know this isn’t working out anymore, I just think that we may be to different to truly understand each other and work out with that ‘happily ever after’ you dream of.” Mal says, tears in her eyes as she looks at Ben, who similarly looks stunned.

“What are you saying Mal?” Ben asks, slowly processing her words, “Are you, are we...”

“I’m sorry Ben, I’m breaking up with you, I just think it isn’t working out anymore, we’re just too different.” Mal says, trying to stop her tears as Ben looks distraught, “I’d say I’d hope we can still be friends, but I’ll be here, while you’ll be busy ruling Auradon, I’d say it’s unlikely.” Mal says, taking a moment to compose herself before turning away and back to her painting. Ben meanwhile, wipes his eyes so he doesn’t look like a mess before walking back outside to the VKs.

———————

“What happened Ben, is Mal coming back?” Jay asks, looking around and behind him but seeing no one else coming as Carlos and Evie look similarly distraught.

“No, instead she broke up with me.” Ben says, before breaking down and trying not to cry again as the three other VKs look stunned.

“What?” Evie asks, the first of the three to fully process that statement.

“Maybe she just needs time to cool down?” Carlos suggests, a bit too hopefully as Ben shakes his head.

“No, she said we were too different, said that it could have worked in a different timeline, she said...she said...” Ben stutters out before taking a breath and saying quietly, “She said I didn’t love her.”

“Harsh dude,” Carlos says, resting an arm on his shoulder as he cries, “Maybe she just needs some time...” He says, as he and Jay begin to lead Ben off away from Mal’s hideout to find somewhere to wait, only to stop when they hear Evie suddenly turn around and go running back.

“If it helps Ben, the only reason I haven’t given you to anyone to hold hostage is the fact that I believe you didn’t want to hurt her.” Jay says, trying to be comforting and threatening at the same time.

———————

“Mal.” Evie tries calling softly but gets no response as she goes up into their hideout, “Mal!” She calls louder, still no response, “MAL!” She practically shouts, finally getting the purple haired girl to turn around.

“Evie.” Mal says with a gasp, not expecting anyone else to come up. “What are you doing here?”

“You couldn’t expect my best friend to run back to our prison and break up with her boyfriend and not expect me to come running instantly to see what’s wrong.” Evie says, placing a hand on Mal’s shoulder while trying to lead her to a couch. “Now’ we’re going to discuss this because I have been the worst best friend in the world these past few weeks as I haven’t even noticed how bad it was for you and I haven’t asked you this sooner.” She says, as Mal weakly laughs.

“You’ve been anything but a bad best friend E, it’s just with all that’s been going on, you starting your own fashion line and still adjusting while I’ve been paraded around like royalty and expected to be this perfect lady we haven’t had a lot of us time.” Mal says, as Evie shakes her head.

“Not an excuse M, I should’ve noticed that you weren’t adjusting well and tried to talk things out earlier, so what has been bothering you Mal.” Evie says, as her best friend sighs and looks at her.

“Honestly E, everything, everything’s been bothering me.” Mal says, taking a breath before starting again, “I mean, I know Auradon is like a dream compared to here, but it’s just too much too quickly. I’m expected to get up in unfamiliar surroundings still, with a bright sun I still don’t recognize, bright clothes I still don’t like or understand, and go to class like everyone else while still suffering under stares, not the same stares as ‘Hey, aren’t you Maleficent’s daughter?’ But, ‘Hey, aren’t you the King’s Girlfriend?’ And, ‘Hey, aren’t you supposed to be doing whatever royal thing right now?’ And never, ‘Hey, how are you adjusting to this all new life of yours?’ Or, ‘Hey Mal, how are you?’” Mal says, before again trying to stifle her tears as Evie hugs her, crying herself.

“Oh Mal, I’m so so sorry I didn’t see things were bothering you earlier, honestly, all that business with the spellbook, and how you should be happy, I don’t believe how insensitive I was to you!” Evie says, as Mal weakly laughs again and hugs her.

“I’ve already said I don’t blame you Evie, I see your point of view perfectly, you were adjusting fine, so why shouldn’t I? I would’ve made the same mistake if I was in your position, and I wasn’t exactly helpful by trying to mask everything under a brave and happy face.” Mal says, as she hugs her blue haired friend back while she sighs.

“I should’ve seen it earlier though Mal, despite what you say about making the same mistake I know you would’ve seen how hard things would’ve been for me if I was in your position.” Evie says, before the two girls just hold each other for a couple minutes.

“So are you really not coming back?” Evie asks after a couple minutes as Mal nods sadly.

“Yeah, sorry E, but I really just can’t do it any more, and even though I broke up with Ben, I’d still be the focus of the press as to why I had ended things in the ‘perfect relationship.’” Mal says, as Evie nods and sighs.

“Alright, but what am I going to do then?” Evie wonders, tilting her head as Mal looks at her confused.

“What do you mean?” She asks, as Evie laughs.

“I mean, how am I going to get all of my stuff over here?” Evie says, as Mal looks even more confused.

“Why would you need all of your stuff on the Isle?” Mal asks, as Evie giggles again.

“Because silly, obviously I’m staying here with you.” Evie says, as though it would be the most obvious thing in the world, the sky being blue, the leaves being green in spring and Evie staying with Mal wherever she is.

“No E, you can’t throw away your life for me,” Mal says, desperately shaking her head, “You have a boyfriend in Auradon, a company, you have your perfect life there and you can’t throw it all away to come back to the Isle just because I’m here.” She says, as Evie looks at her with a small fire in here eyes.

“Listen Mal, to you it may seem like I’m ‘Throwing away my perfect life,’ but do you want to know what my real ‘Perfect life’ desperately needs?” Evie asks, as Mal looks confused, “You, my perfect life needs you. Because boyfriends can be found by the dozen, companies can be made and lost, but there is only one you, and I desperately need that in my life.” Evie says, as Mal tears up again at the bluenette’s words.

“But Evie, I can’t ask you to do that for me.” Mal says, sounding desperate, clinging to anything to try and ‘save’ Evie from this life.

“And you aren’t asking me M, I am telling you what’s happening. So you and I can either stay here together, and sure it’ll be a change but I lived here once so I can do it again, because M, I refuse to live without you, or, we go back to Auradon together, and we try to work through this.” Evie says, sounding determined and final as Mal looks at her like she had just given her the best gift ever

“But why, why would you do any of this for me?” Mal asks, sounding confused as to why Evie would do that for her.

“Because M... I...” Evie says, suddenly looking away from her, looking anywhere but Mal, “Hey, what’s that new painting?” She asks, suddenly trying to change the subject away from whatever she was going to say.

“No E, tell me why you’d do this?” Mal says, sounding resolute.

“I’d do this because...because...When I saw you and Ben together, just looking happy, going on dates, him getting you wonderful gifts, I thought that I’d be okay because it was only part of a plan, but when you ended up together, for real, it felt like my heart was torn out of my chest and stepped on. So I settled for Doug, but now hearing that you and him broke up and you weren’t happy, a small part of me feels ridiculously hopeful that maybe...maybe...” Evie says, before breaking off, as Mal stares at her in shock.

“E...wha...what are you saying?” Mal asks, hearing it but not really believing it.

“I’m saying Mal, I think maybe, possibly, I might be...in love...with you.” Evie says, suddenly breaking down again as Mal looks at her in shock, Evie was in love with her? And she hadn’t noticed?

———————

“I think we may have made a mistake letting Evie go in there with her.” Carlos says, as Jay and Ben look at him confused.

“What do you mean Carlos?” Ben asks, as the son of Cruella sighs.

“I mean, Jay, you know Evie about as well as I do, what do you think she’d do if Mal tried to just leave?” Carlos asks, as Jay looks at him like the answer’s obvious.

“She’d try to bring her back, obviously.” Jay asks, as Ben nods.

“And what would she do if she couldn’t?” Carlos asks, as Jay looks on in dawning horror.

“She’d volunteer to stay, and then demand to stay when Mal tried to deny that.” Jay says, as Ben looks on confused.

“But Evie made me promise that she wouldn’t be stuck here.” Ben asks as Carlos sighs.

“And there’s a big difference in Evie’s book between being stuck here and staying here with Mal.” Jay says, “In fact, I think the difference between being stuck here and going back without Mal is nonexistent to Evie, as is the difference between staying here with Mal and going back with Mal.” He says, as Carlos nods.

“Tell me something, how can you four be that close?” Ben asks, as Jay laughs.

“We aren’t ‘that’ close.” He says, “Sure we may be extremely close, but no one’s ‘that’ close.”

“On the Isle here, if you hung out like the four of us did, you were guaranteed to bond in some way, sure we might have not called it that, but we became family. Mal’s like my big overprotective sister and Evie my little spoiled rotten yet sweet as anything sister, while Jay’s the oldest and the most overprotective.” Carlos says, as Jay nods.

“Mal’s like my little rebellious sister who thinks she can handle herself and can in most cases, while Carlos is my little dorky brother who’s the problem solver and Evie’s the youngest sister who you’ll have to go through all of us to hurt.” Jay says, as Ben nods.

“And I get that, but how does that explain everything else?” He asks, as Carlos sighs.

“For Mal, I’m her little brother who she’ll pick on and tease but she, Jay, and Evie are the only ones allowed to, while Jay’s her big brother whom she loudly resents his overprotectiveness but quietly appreciates it, while Evie, Evie’s different.” Carlos says.

“You know how I said they’d have to go through all of us to touch Evie?” Jay says, as Ben nods, “Well, I lied, they’d never get to me or Carlos, in Auradon, Mal would kill the person painfully, and here on the Isle, they’d wish they could die.” Jay says, “One time, some old thug saw Evie as this beautiful young thing and wanted her, well his first mistake was laying a hand on Evie’s shoulder and refusing to leave. Twenty seconds later, his hand was laying twenty feet away from him and he was curled up in the fetal position while Mal growled and snarled above him. Carlos and I had to drag her away from his battered and crying form, because I honestly thought Mal was about to find a way around the no one able to die rule.” He adds, as Ben looks sick at the conditions. “And then Evie just placed a hand on Mal’s shoulder and calmed her down instantly, like it was nothing.”

“To Mal, Evie’s her sister, best friend, confidant, life, and probably so much more that neither I nor anyone can explain and Evie sees Mal in very much the same way.” Carlos says, as Ben nods.

“So what can we do?” He asks, as Jay laughs.

“Outside of knocking them both out and dragging them to Auradon, nothing.” The son of Jafar says, “Because if we took one, she’d come back within minutes.” Jay adds, before laughing, “You know, I was sad about your break-up, but not surprised, because in any universe with Evie and Mal meeting each other, no one else ever comes close.” He says, as Ben looks distraught again.

———————

“E...I...I don’t know what...what to say...” Mal says, stuttering and rambling, still confused, Evie was really in love with her? But they were just best friends, weren’t they? Sure, maybe her day got just a bit better when she was able to talk to Evie, or just see her smile, hear her laugh, lounge around just watching cheesy movies, or just being near her, but that didn’t mean...Oh god, maybe there was more than ‘best friends’ there.

“Just tell me that we’ll still be best friends M, tell me that no matter that you don’t, that you can’t return what I feel, that we’ll still be best friends, because I don’t think I could live anywhere, Auradon or otherwise, without being best friends with you.” Evie says, as Mal sighs and looks at her.

“Evie, I told Ben I don’t know what love is and that’s true, I wasn’t ever taught.” Mal starts with some tears in her eyes, “But what I feel around you is an insane sense of happiness when you’re happy and sad and angry when you’re sad, just wanting to find the person who made you sad and end them. I find myself having a better day whenever I see you and get to hang out, just because you’re a part of my life, just because I feel lucky to see you as my best friend.” She continues, just trying not to cry, “So, is that love? Because if it isn’t, I don’t know what love is nor do I think it ever existed nor will it, because I can’t think of anything more like the stories we were told in Auradon than it. Is it love Evie? I really hope it is.” Mal says, as Evie immediately wraps her arms around her and hugs her, crying herself.

“Oh Mal, are you just telling me that because you think it’s what I want to hear? Because if it’s not true, I don’t.” Evie says, crying herself as she hugs Mal who laughs lightly.

“When have I ever been one to try and spare feelings E? Of course that’s what I feel!” She says, as Evie laughs back.

“Then yes, I think it is love Mal, I think that may be love.” Evie says, before leaning in and capturing Mal’s lips in a light, loving kiss.

“Then yes Evie, I’ll come back to Auradon with you, I don’t think love could really bloom or survive here anyway.” Mal says, kissing Evie back before slowly getting up and grabbing her can of paint as she takes Evie’s hand in her own and starts to head for the exit.

“I love you Mal.” Evie whispers in her ear as Mal laughs.

“I’d tell you I love you too, but I think you already know and I don’t think love does my feelings justice Evie.” Mal whispers back, getting another teary kiss as they both start to head off to whatever the rest of their lives carried.


End file.
